Finally tried the 'ice cube trick' for my garbage disposal and it actually works

I saw a video about grinding ice cubes with lemon peels to clean and sharpen the blades, but it sounded like total nonsense to me. My disposal in my apartment in Austin was starting to smell a bit funky, so I gave it a shot last weekend with a tray of ice and the peel from one lemon. The noise was awful for a minute, but it came out smelling completely fresh and seems to run smoother now. Has anyone else tried this, or is there a better way to deal with a smelly disposal?

3 comments

3 Comments

victor_ward17d ago

Glad it worked for you. That lemon peel is key because the oils cut the grease that causes the smell. For a really bad smell, I freeze white vinegar into ice cubes and run those through. It kills the bacteria the lemon might miss. Just don't mix baking soda and vinegar first, it fizzes up and does nothing for the actual blades.

the_phoenix2d ago

Freeze vinegar into ice cubes? That's a level of planning I can't even imagine. My garbage disposal gets cleaned when I remember to throw a lemon in there, not when I've prepped frozen cleaning supplies. The idea of having vinegar cubes ready in my freezer for a bad smell feels like a cry for help.

mark72317d ago

The vinegar ice cube trick is clever, but I've found the fizz from baking soda and vinegar actually helps lift gunk out of the blades.